Bali’s top hotel the Apurva Kempinski Bali launched its latest gastronomic venture on July 1, 2019, with the opening of
Izakaya by Oku, a new signature Japanese restaurant that adds to the resort’s dining collection.
Inspired by the award-winning Oku restaurant at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta, Izakaya is a modern Japanese restaurant with an atelier concept. The word “izakaya” refers to the Japanese lifestyle of gathering over a meal and drinks at an after-work hub. This newly unveiled Japanese restaurant features an open kitchen, allowing guests to observe the preparation of the dishes and the chef’s craftsmanship at the highest level.
With more than 15 years of experience in Japanese gastronomy, chef Deni Koswara has curated a creative menu inspired by the traditional Japanese cooking method and ingredients.
The menu is comprised of nine types of meals and dishes: The first one is zensai, which is a section of the menu that comprises snacks and appetizers, including edamame (green soybeans with sea or truffle salt), ajitama (smoked organic eggs top with shigureni beef sauce), tomorokoshi (a delicate dish of Japanese baby corn grated with parmesan cheese enriched with aged soy butter.
For those who would prefer a healthy green salad, there are the izakaya salad with white sesame dressing or, to spice it up, there’s a little buta salad with pork belly and white sesame-ponzu dressing.
Japanese cuisine is renowned for its hotpots, and Izakaya did not forget to include nabe, or nabemono, the traditional miso soup with shimeji, wakame, tofu and spring onions. There’s also agedashi tofu, using deep fried tofu, eggplant, shiso, dashi broth-infused with bonito fish.
After some appetizers and a refreshing hotpot, you can delve into the à la carte course. Izayaki has Kaisen Chawan Muchi which is a traditional egg custard with prawn and chicken, ginko nut and junsai, donpeyaki (an omelette with spicy cod roe and cheese), gyoza stuffed with seafood and fermented chilli sauce and Moriawase tempura, the assorted fried vegetables and prawn savored with tempura sauce.
A Japanese fine dining experience is not complete if you don’t try the udon (thick wheat flour noodle with rich and delicious stocks), the Izayaki has tempura, gyu and sukiyaki udon. Don’t miss out on the sushi and sashimi, either, as they have dragon roll, comprising of prawn tempura, cucumber, avocado, kizami wasabi and unagi sauce, the famous spicy tuna roll, Oku aburi salmon roll complemented with lumpfish caviar, nigiri hachikan, sashimi Moriawase and sashimi goshumori.
You can’t miss out Izakaya’s signature dishes, which include Karasumi pasta, a dish of capellini mixed with bottarga (salted, cured fish roe usually made from grey mullet or bluefin tuna) and ikura or sea urchin.
There is also Oku karaage, crispy chicken thighs with balsamic teriyaki sauce mixed with a Japanese seven spice blend (shichimi), the aburi salmon roll, truffle gyu don (a rice bowl complemented with chargrilled US prime short rib beef and truffle and onsen egg sauces, Saikyo cod and mizu as well as “Okukase”– an enticing five-course or seven-course chef’s degustation menu paired with sake and signature cocktails.
Derived from the Japanese word “Omakase”, which means “I will leave it up to you”, Okukase is a degustation menu based on the chef’s daily selection of the finest quality in-season ingredients combined into the most delightful dishes. You can enjoy the meal starting from Rp 1.2 million (US$85.42) and up to Rp 1.75 million with the addition of sake and signature cocktails.
Additionally, an extensive range of Japanese traditional alcoholic beverages, such as sake and shochu as well as creatively concocted cocktails are offered, crafted by the resort’s sake sommelier.
Featuring an all-wood structure and earthly tones with subdued lighting, the 60-seat Izakaya by OKU is just the right place to experience the Japanese dining culture in the heart of Nusa Dua, Bali.
Standing atop the majestic cliff of Nusa Dua with breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean and a tropical garden, the Apurva Kempinski Bali offers the epitome of beachfront luxury. This five-star resort in Bali presents itself as a majestic open-air theater, an embodiment of Indonesian elegance. A collection of 475 iconic rooms, suites and villas are showcased, 60% of which feature their own private plunge pools. From a unique culinary journey and indigenous spa treatments to the spacious meeting rooms and alluring chapels, the Apurva Kempinski Bali is a spectacular stage where curated experiences are brought to life.
Head down to the Apurva Kempinski Bali at lot 4, Jl. Raya Nusa Dua Selatan, Benoa, South Kuta, Badung regency, Bali. For more information, visit https://www.kempinski.com/en/bali/the-apurva-kempinski-bali/ or contact Apurva Kempinski Bali on (+62361) 209 2288.
